Nukeproof doesn’t specify which grade of aluminium the Horizon stem is made from, but it’s probably something like 6061-series, because you don’t get the high-grade alloys for this money. Not that there’s anything wrong with the finish on the Horizon; it’s really nicely crafted and is also available in seven funky colours, if you count black and silver. On looks alone its up there with the best mountain bike stems we’ve tested.

Like the Renthal Apex stem, the Horizon sits up a little taller and has a 5º rise, but that does mean you can flip it, which will drop the front end even lower – handy if you have a bike with a tall head tube. When flipped, we had an issue with the front clamp touching the internal cables on our test bike. It also has the lowest stack height of any stem on test here, and with its low-profile steerer clamp and offset fasteners, it has the best knee clearance too.

Nukeproof Horizon stem uses a ‘no-gap’ face plate fixing

Nukeproof is also running a no-gap faceplate, which reduces the risk of tightening the bolts unevenly and clamping the faceplate off-centre. The top two bolts also screw further into the body of the stem, making them less likely to work loose, and it also looks cleaner because there’s no ugly gap.

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The front of the stem is pretty broad, which adds stiffness, although we could feel a bit more flex when riding hard compared to the other models on test. That said it does take out some trail buzz, so it’s not all bad news.